Rodents are mammals that have two continuously growing incisors that they use for gnawing wood and other materials. Forty percent of all mammals are classified as rodents, but the rodents that most commonly become a nuisance in homes, garages, and yards are mice, rats, squirrels, and chipmunks. If poisoning your pests is not the route you want to go, you can get rid of them naturally, but it may take time and perseverance. See Step 1 to get rid of rodents as soon as possible -- the natural way.

Ad

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Get Rid of Rodents Indoors

1

Seal up all holes and cracks in your home where rodents may be gaining access. Mice can get through even the smallest of holes, so blocking them out completely may not be possible. However, making it more difficult to get in may be enough to discourage rodents.

Check around your foundation, windows and door frames for small holes, cracks or improper seals.

Use caulk, putty or weather stripping to fill any access areas you find.

Ad

2

Remove any rodents that are already in your home.

Use snap-style traps designed to kill the rodents quickly.

Glue traps, which trap the rodent but do not kill it, are controversial. The glue sticks to the animals' fur making it impossible for them to get away, so the trapped rodent is left to die a slow death.

Catch the rodents in live traps, such as Have-A-Heart traps, then drive them at least a mile from your home before releasing them.

3

Make your home less attractive to rodents to discourage them from setting up home in the future.

Soak rags in ammonia and put mothballs in open containers and leave them in the corners of the basement, attic or other areas of your home where rodents are a problem.

Rub peppermint oil on beams and other areas where rodents travel. You can also scatter fresh or dried mint leaves, as both the oil and leaves repel rodents.

Get a cat. Even if your cat is not a great mouser, the smell of the cat's presence in the home deters rodents.

Purchase fox, coyote or bobcat urine at a garden center or hunting and sporting goods store. Alternately, you can get some used cat litter from someone who does own a cat. Put the urine-soaked cat litter out in the basement or attic, or soak cotton balls in the urine and place them around the area.

Spread Camphor balls in the attic or places frequented by rodents.The smell is intolerable for the mice and they will stop visiting the place.

Method 2 of 2: Get Rid of Rodents Outdoors

1

Create an environment that does not encourage rodents to make a home in your yard.

Stack firewood at least 18 inches (45.7 cm) off of the ground and keep it several feet away from your house.

Plants bushes, shrubs and large plants at least 3 feet (0.9 m) away from all buildings.

Place bird feeders on poles where the seed is not accessible to rodents.

Keep all garbage inside trashcans with securely closing lids.

2

Keep rodents out of gardens and away from plants.

Plant mint around your garden to create a barrier that rodents won't cross.

Spray urine from a predator on trees, bushes or the ground on the perimeter of your garden or yard. Reapply the scent each time it rains.

Mix together naphthalene flakes, gypsum and chili pepper, and scatter the mixture around the garden to keep squirrels out.

3

Kill nuisance rodents in the yard by slicing up small pieces of cork and mixing it with grease from cooked meat. Put it outside and the rodents will eat it. Because they are unable to digest the cork, they will die.

Ad

We could really use your help!

Can you tell us aboutbuilding longboards?

Yes

No

building longboards

how to build a longboard

Can you tell us aboutmakeup?

Yes

No

makeup

how to fill in eyebrows

Can you tell us aboutRome Total War?

Yes

No

Rome Total War

how to unlock factions in Rome Total War

Can you tell us aboutshoulder holsters?

Yes

No

shoulder holsters

how to make a shoulder holster

Thanks for helping! Please tell us everything you know about

...

Tell us everything you know here. Remember, more detail is better.

Tips

Provide Details.

Please be as detailed as possible in your explanation. Don't worry about formatting! We'll take care of it.
For example:Don't say: Eat more fats.Do say: Add fats with some nutritional value to the foods you already eat. Try olive oil, butter, avocado, and mayonnaise.